Nakamichi LX-3 Advice

[zedex]

I remember a few years ago my 480 wouldnt go into record mode. I found that a pivot point that the transport would engage for the record cable would come out of its pivot hole. It was a head scratcher but i figured it out by viewing the transport action,play,rec.stop play record stop. I could see the lever poping out of its hole. There is a thread somewhere on tapeheads with pictures of the offending lever and pivot. I was contemplating buying a lx3 but since its like the 480 with that cable setup i will pass.

 

[perryinva]

Yes, that is the C spring I refered to. When the grease is sticky (or linkage is bound) it just pushes right off its pivot. Same as the 480.

 

[Hifigogo]

Update...I took the panels off including the front cover, and it recorded and played back. The action involving the "flip flop" spring seemed to working. It was engaging all the record/play/FF/RR functions. Then, when I attempted to put the front cover back on, it will now not function, ie, the spindles won't turn for playback/RR/FF. I see the motors turning the flywheels, but the mechanics for the different functions are no longer working, and the tape isn't advancing.

 

[Hifigogo]

All the belts still appear to be on...nothing that I can see has changed mechanically. It's odd because when I put the panels back on and I put a tape in, it advanced the tape like it had been doing before, and rewind worked briefly. Now, nothing. No Play/RR/FF. The record light stays on when I push record/pause, which it hadn't done before I took it apart this morning. One step foreword, 2 steps back.

 

[BilboBaggins]

Try opening it up as it was before you closed it up. Does it work now?

 

[Hifigogo]

Try opening it up as it was before you closed it up. Does it work now?

Actually, I did open it up again and found there is a bundle of wires that is pressing up against the mechanics to the right of the tape well. I repositioned the wires and put the faceplate back on and all functions, including record are working. I suspect it's not the ultimate cure though.

 

[BilboBaggins]

Actually, I did open it up again and found there is a bundle of wires that is pressing up against the mechanics to the right of the tape well. I repositioned the wires and put the faceplate back on and all functions, including record are working. I suspect it's not the ultimate cure though.

Good stuff! That means that when you closed it up, you were either putting strain on the wires/connections, or you have a flakey wire. Just a matter of finding it. I have a similar problem with a Sony ES cassette deck I have. I haven’t found the issue yet though.

 

[SticksOfFire]

On the LX-3, (and all Nak 2 head classic transports) the problem with going in to record is almost always (usually) a sticky grease problem on the transport section that latches the Bowden cable to actuate the record switch. The fix is relatively easy if you know exactly what to do, but hopelessly difficult to clearly explain. Basically, when put in to record, the transport cam wheel reverse direction first, to latch the mechanism, so that when the transport rotates forward to engage the play/record head, the switch is activated to put the dolby and amps as inputs to the head, instead of outputs from the head. It rotates in reverse only for a second, then reveres to go forward. if the transport doesn't latch in that time period, it will not enter record.

The front panel faceplate must be removed, and the "C" spring located. Its a flat brass spring, curved with both ends looped to pivot on nylon posts. It's about at 2:00 if looking strait at the transport. The grease on the brass pivots gets sticky and prevents the spring from forcing the follower to latch and allow the switch actuation. If you remove the spring, clean it, and regrease with a light lithium, the issue usually is fixed. NOW, this ASSUMES, the long switch is not seized or oxidized. This is easily tested with the bottom cover removed and the deck put in to play, while a source input is present. If you manually actuate the switch, you will hear the sound change from tape to the source input.

Hi everyone I’m new here. I just purchased an LX-3 and I believe I’m experiencing the same thing. Everything seems to function correctly. I cleaned the heads and even adjusted the azimuth by myself. Sound is great.

I do notice some “dead air” noise when the machine is in play more with no tape in the transport.

But my problem here is it won’t record. It sounds like it’s engaging but won’t move. I tried to remove the front (6 screws) but it felt like there was still one spot still held into place and I didn’t want to force it.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[zedex]

There will be a short ground wire preventing transport from coming out..

 

[SticksOfFire]

There will be a short ground wire preventing transport from coming out..

Thank you for answering. It feels like the left and right sides are free but something is keeping it from coming off. Feels like it’s in the area of the buttons. Is the short ground wire right there?

 

[perryinva]

To take the front cover off, all the mushroom knobs (and possibly the rotated switch knobs too, I don’t recall exactly,) have to be pulled off. That is what is holding it on. Zedex was referring to a short ground wire on the tape transport. There is no single ground wire on the faceplate; there are bundles of wire to the pushbuttons and meter, which have to be carefully positioned when putting the faceplate back on, so as not to get pinched or impede the transport which is what was the OP’s problem. Usually there is enough slack to pull the face plate forward and it flip up enough to access the transport.

 

[SticksOfFire]

To take the front cover off, all the mushroom knobs (and possibly the rotated switch knobs too, I don’t recall exactly,) have to be pulled off. That is what is holding it on. Zedex was referring to a short ground wire on the tape transport. There is no single ground wire on the faceplate; there are bundles of wire to the pushbuttons and meter, which have to be carefully positioned when putting the faceplate back on, so as not to get pinched or impede the transport which is what was the OP’s problem. Usually there is enough slack to pull the face plate forward and it flip up enough to access the transport.

Thank you so much. I think possibly the mini ziptie holding bundle of wires will need to be snipped for me to have enough room. Could I keep going...yes. But I think I’m going have someone with pro knowledge of this handle it rather than me. They would do some belts while in there too.

Just an amazing back story. I have been wanting to transfer all the old concert tapes I made going back to when I was a teen. I had a BX-2 in my 20s so I was looking to get a good Nakamichi to transfer my cassettes. After looking for a month or two I keep seeing the LX3 and LX5 and didn’t pay too much attention. And then I really started to look at one and all these memories came flooding back. I was given one of these as handmedown in about 1984!! I had no idea back then what a Nakamichi was. It was just a neat deck and then the eject button broke.

But I’m still nerding out about how I had a top of the line deck (okay not THE top of the line) back then and had no idea what it was. Plus the memory of it had vanished until last month. Lol.

 

[zedex]

Yea. The deck should have a full tear down and rebuild with belts and idler tire.
But yea. All those wire bundles have zip ties and if you do want to remove the facia just mark all the plugs. And mark where the bundles come out of the deck so you can get them back into the same hole as they came. Its not too bad getting that facia off. You should be able to see that horse shoe shaped spring pretty easily and thats probably the problem.
The LX3 is a really nice 2 head deck.

 

[SticksOfFire]

Yea. The deck should have a full tear down and rebuild with belts and idler tire.
But yea. All those wire bundles have zip ties and if you do want to remove the facia just mark all the plugs. And mark where the bundles come out of the deck so you can get them back into the same hole as they came. Its not too bad getting that facia off. You should be able to see that horse shoe shaped spring pretty easily and thats probably the problem.
The LX3 is a really nice 2 head deck.

Do you know what kind of damage $$$ I’ll be looking at for that type of TLC?

 

[perryinva]

A typical full service on an LX-3, belts, tire, lube, and align along with some orange caps that have to be replaced, is about $200-250.

 

[SticksOfFire]

A typical full service on an LX-3, belts, tire, lube, and align along with some orange caps that have to be replaced, is about $200-250.

Oh that sounds reasonable. I wish I knew where to send it.

I just had an LX-5 show up that was suppose to work perfectly and it’s not working. They are giving a refund so I will get to keep it for free and get the refund.

I started taking the LX-5 apart and now that I did that I’m going to attempt the LX-3 and see if it’s a matter of dried grease as was suggested for before.

 

[perryinva]

You can send it to me, but my current backlog is June.

 

[SticksOfFire]

Not much seems to work on this LX-5. I can get it to fast forward and rewind. I got it to play once as well.

 

[SticksOfFire]

Okay after looking at the LX-5, I decided to give the LX3 a shot.

I got the front off. I saw the brass shaped horse shoe spring. That seemed to move freely. It does however record some now. It will engage now but takes about 10 seconds for the tape to start moving.

Again all the functions of this LX3 seem perfect
and now it’s almost recording right.

any ideas?

 

[SticksOfFire]

Well that may have done the trick! Seems to be recording well now. It seems to recording now when hitting REC / PAUSE and then PLAY. And also just hitting REC / PLAY.

I may have gotten lucky...

Question...should it got into record mode instantly as the buttons are pushed. It seems to work perfectly but there is a split second pause before it starts to record.